Mushrooming my impact sockets

[ajchien]

So I'm new to the 1/2" impact wrench scene. I thought I was an old school shade tree guy, preferring to work low tech with breaker bars and speeder wrenches for nostalgia. But nowadays as the years pass on, my legs and back get a little bit more sore, and I'm finding my new cordless ryobi 1/2" impact saving me next day aches.

Well, for starters, I got myself the HF Pittsburgh impact sockets for a whopping $10 for the set. They're black oxide finish chrome vanadium. After maybe just 50-60 lug nuts worth of impact use, the 19mm socket is already starting to mushroom at the drive end. Socket side looks good.

Is this normal for impact sockets? Or is this just cheapo HF chrome vanadium?

If its normal to mushroom the socket, I guess I just keep using it. If its cheapo HF stuff, I figure I'll upgrade my most commonly used ones to a better brand when this one wears out.

Which comes to the next question, how much mushroom can one have before problems start occurring?

 

[PBCampbell]

I'm not familiar with the Harbor Freight offerings but the cheaper brands in my experience tend to show use sooner than higher end brands. There should still be plenty of use left in them though, sort of the nature of the beast. A softer material to handle the shock without catastrophic failure.

 

[NicksRodz]

If you are going to get any impact sockets from HF you should go with the ones that say pro on them they cast more but with a coupon they are not bad. The Pro ones are Chrome Moly, a stronger steel for impacts.

 

[jfcasey]

They all wear out... they usually will start falling off the anvil shortly before they start rounding off bolts. I would say it's normal but happens quicker with cheaper sockets.

I'd run those hf ones till they die then go for a set if grey pneumatic or sunex.

 

[1foxracing]

Lifetime warranty on Harbor Freight sockets, take them back and get a new set for free.

 

[BirdMobile]

If you are going to get any impact sockets from HF you should go with the ones that say pro on them they cast more but with a coupon they are not bad. The Pro ones are Chrome Moly, a stronger steel for impacts.

That.
Also, there are Taiwanese and Chinese Cr-Mo Pittsburgh "Pro" impacts - I personally like the Taiwan ones more.

 

[bcradio]

Pretty normal... my proto impact sockets show more wear than any others I own. They also get the most use.

 

[bustdknuckle]

They all do it cheap or not. Use em til they round off and get them changed out at harbor freight

 

[TOOLFREEQ]

Impact sockets are made out of a softer metal to give with the hammering and not break or crack . My snpon ones did it the first couple of times I used them.My so guy told me its normal but if it gets real bad to check your impact for a worn anvil.

 

[chris142]

My Cornwell impacts (Made in USA) didn't last long. I took them home and bought SO which are holding up well.

 

[DodgeMech]

i do front ends on hd dodges...so i use the 18, 21, 22, and 24 a LOT...i have an old set of matco adv sockets from back when i couldn't afford the good stuff a couple of years ago, and they are holding up well...but those 4 sockets definitely go on and come off the impact much easier than all the others haha

 

[Formula]

I have snap on impact sockets over 20 years old that I use everyday that get lots of use. They still work as good as new. If i had to guess, I've probably broken only 4 or 5 in 20 years.

 

[devoncoolman]

My matco's are all mushroomed along with my macs and snappys. Its just the way it is.

 

[dsimatt]

Don't tell anyone but my snappy sockets do the same thing and the most used ones get replaced a few times a year.

 

[Dirty Diesels]

All of my impact sockets have mushroomed in the drive, they are Mac 1's & a set of cheaper impacts that done the same, it's a common thing with most impact sockets.

 

[GSteg]

It's definitely normal. If they're not mushrooming, you're not using it enough!

 

[herfalerf]

Maybe I'm wrong but as I understand it the metal used in impact sockets is softer to handle the added stress. This is what causes the mushroom effect. All of mine are like this as well.

 

[Jure]

Maybe I'm wrong but as I understand it the metal used in impact sockets is softer to handle the added stress. This is what causes the mushroom effect. All of mine are like this as well.

yes,metal used for impacts is softer,and not brittle as one used for chrome sockets edit,i think its the same metal but heat treated and quenched the other way.

 

[Tronyadorable]

Snappy Says :
https://www.facebook.com/notes/snap...ference-impact-vs-chrome-sockets/251237528642

 

[organ]

Lifetime warranty on Harbor Freight sockets, take them back and get a new set for free.

Sigh...

 

[Easyeddystrees]

I just ordered what I thought was a great deal on a 1/2" SK set described as great condition with slight bend in the ratchet, but it arrived with all the sockets heavily mushroomed from impact use. I requested a return and the seller approved it which explains why they had a perfect feedback rating., Even though the sockets were listed with no returns. I was relieved. I have no interest in tools that can't be warrantied. The whole idea is to buy once cry once!

 

[DFB]

Sorry no cheese with that Whine

To tell the truth my CrMo impacts wallow out the drive end more easily than their Chinesium CrV brothers...

A lot has to with your tool anvil too IMO . All my big 18v Milwaukees have a distinct flare out that really hammers on the drive end

 

[Mr_B]

Hard to beat crv taiwan for price to durability .
impacts are consumable, don't expect truck brand be much better, most are worse as they spec their crmo hardness lower for less liability risk.
I found better made/design taiwan crv (japan style or laser branded) holds out to wallowing the best .
I warranty replaced a mac set in under 6months as wallowed so bad on drive the sockets falling off and effecting impacting power .
Waste of time buying impacts off the truck, you can get same or better for fraction the cost and self warranty when needed .

I assume your pitts set is the basic chinese cheap set not the pitts pro version which is better and taiwan crmo spec generally (do have chinese sku version though .

 

[Shadowdog500]

+1 on it being normal for them to wear out. That being said the set I bought about 35 years ago have held up well and I have probably used them for thousands of lug nuts over the decades. They were from a mail order company that used the CHicago pneumatic logo but sold cheap mail order tool like HF In The 80s. Their mail order magazines even looked similar to HF mail order magazine. But it had CP instead of the HF ship on the cover.

 

[Professional Tool User]

All impact sockets eventually wear down. Nothing to worry about if it is on the drive end. It's when the walls on the business end start to wear down that you should expect the socket to crack if you beat on it.

 

[ttloadcells]

I don't think Snap-on will mushroom.... but they cost a heck of a lot more

 

[ajchien]

Holy cow. Talk about old thread revival! I’m the OP. 5 years later and my cheap HF impact sockets are still working fine. Yes, many drive ends mushroomed - otherwise no issues.

 

[MagnusM4]

My Tekton and HF pro impact sockets are holding up great. A bit of mushrooming on the drive end, but nothing to worry about. It’s normal.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I don't think Snap-on will mushroom.... but they cost a heck of a lot more

I'm sure many would be glad to show you that their Snap-on sockets mushroom the same as any other manufacturer. It's the nature of the beast.